The surprise guest II

The banquet officially began once the wine was brought in, and to everyone's astonishment, the King didn't partake that evening. 

Hael smiled softly as he watched Ceremus opt for a cup of water instead. It was clear that he was trying to avoid the vices that had kept him prisoner all these years. 

"Hael, sorry to bother you while you're enjoying the meal, but it seems like the younger guests are giving Loki a hard time," Anemone said. 

Hael looked around and realized that the cockatoo was nowhere in sight. Anemone noticed this and smiled. "He wandered off a while ago, and the kids seemed to have found him in the pavilion. They have been tussling him for some time." 

Hael didn't have to be told twice as he got up and informed Ceremus that he'd be right back once he ensured Loki was all right. Anemone followed suit, offering some assistance as well. 

With the spot next to the King left empty, a sudden idea came to the princess's mind. She had been observing the King from afar, trying to decide the best time to approach him. She skillfully weaseled in, using this opportunity to get closer to Ceremus. Nastasya sat right next to him, ignoring Octavian's wary looks. 

"Hello once again, King Ceremus," she said, giving him a light smile. "We didn't get the chance to clear things earlier since we were interrupted. I wanted to use this to apologize once more for the misunderstanding." 

Ceremus, who was sipping his water, glanced at her before looking away. He didn't care for the situation at all and dismissed her apology. "It's fine already." He said curtly. 

Despite his curtness, Nastasya had no intention of giving up. "I heard you defeated the kakoethes, who is said to be one of the most dangerous monsters in the world, so easily, Your Majesty. Such a feat is impressive." 

"Hmm." The King grunted in response. 

Despite how beautiful and charming the princess was, Ceremus couldn't bring himself to admire her beauty, given how preoccupied he was. The only thing on his mind was a seven-foot-tall guard with striking white hair who had been gone for quite some time. His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, his duty to his nation warring with his personal desires. 

It was clear to the young woman that the King wasn't paying her any attention, which surprised her. From what she had learned of the King, he was a known philanderer who frequently went to brothels in search of casual intimacy. 

From what she heard, a new woman was on his arm every day, and there were even a few married women in the mix. He treated them like objects, using them as he saw fit and then tossing them aside. But to the ones he found the most attractive, he'd keep close, like a woman called Amelia. His past was shrouded in mystery, his actions a subject of much gossip and speculation.

 She heard from close informants that Lady Amelia was the one whom he favored the most. She was beautiful, elegant and poised. Intelligent as well as clever. But that wasn't what mattered to Nastasya. The problem was that she was considered more attractive than Lady Amelia and a lot more intelligent. So why didn't he pay her attention like she expected him to? 

When her father had first suggested creating an alliance with Trojas through a political marriage, she wasn't too happy about it. Nastasya already had her eyes set on someone else and didn't want to waste her affection on a tyrant. But of course, when it came to the good of the country, her father didn't care about what she had to say or what she wanted. To him, she had a duty to her nation and had to uphold her duties even at the expense of her happiness. 

Knowing she had no say in the matter, the princess could only resign herself to her fate. She asked people to look into her supposed future husband and was shocked to hear about his many misgivings. Yes, he was strong, the most powerful man in the nation, hell, even the continent, but that didn't excuse his heinous actions. 

Nastasya knew at that moment that she wanted nothing to do with him. And yet her father sent out an envoy to Trojas to start negotiations against her wishes. She was furious and wouldn't let any of this injustice stand until Atalanta came back to inform her that King Ceremus, despite his intimidating nature, was one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen. And that was saying something considering how it was coming from Atalanta, one of the strongest women of Cleves and a well-known hater of men. If she had anything even remotely nice to say about another male, it would be in your best interest to listen. 

Like most women in her time, Nastasya valued appearances above all else, including physical appearance. Because of this, she became intrigued with the King and actually considered meeting him at least once until Atalanta informed her that he had no interest in getting married. 

When Atalanta revealed that Ceremus had rejected the marriage proposal, Nastasya was taken aback. Her eyes widened in disbelief, unable to comprehend how a man could refuse her, especially when she was considered one of the most beautiful women on the continent. 

Atalanta nodded. "Yes, even I was surprised to hear this princess. I mean, even if he doesn't leave his nation much, it is no secret that you are one of the most beautiful women on the continent. (Unfortunately) when people think of the kingdom, one of the first things they think of is the Venus of Cleves. Even I was shocked that there could ever be a man that would refuse you." She chuckled. 

Her amusement over Ceremus' rejection did not go unnoticed by the princess. Nastasya narrowed her eyes at Atalanta and suddenly wanted to slap her. But the princess held herself back since she knew she would be the one to get hurt if she did that. 

Atalanta's smile grew as if knowing her thoughts, and her eyes had a mischievous glint. 

"Don't worry, princess, I'm sure he'll come around. You know how persistent I can be. If I put my mind to something, I make sure whatever it is I want happens. I'll try to find an opportunity for you two to meet. Perhaps he'll change his mind when he sees you in person." She said. 

Nastasya eyed Atalanta suspiciously but nodded her head in the end. She couldn't forgive such an absurd situation. Rejecting me, the princess of Cleves. No matter how powerful he may be, I will not forget this humiliation. I will have him bowing to my feet one way or another.

And as if the gods themselves agreed with this statement, a situation presented itself. Atalanta informed the princess of the King's recent deeds, purposefully omitting the part that the King's guard also had a hand in his success. She told her they would hold a grand banquet and welcome her presence. 

Nastasya was overjoyed to hear this and didn't waste a single second. She ordered her maids to prepare the best ensemble for her. 

She was ready to seduce this impertinent King even if it killed her. 

Octavian, who had heard all this, couldn't help finding this situation suspicious. He saw the evil glint in Atalanta's eyes when she delivered the news to the princess. 

It was evident to everyone that the female warrior and the pampered princess didn't get along. While their animosity wasn't always visible, it was palpable behind closed doors, primarily due to King Geleon's favoritism towards Atalanta. The tension between the two was a result of this favoritism, with Nastasya feeling envious of Atalanta's position as the King's right-hand man. 

Atalanta was strong, intelligent, and conniving. She was an incredible strategist and often the reason for all the wars they won. 

She was the King's right-hand man, a leader among men. While Nastasya was a sheltered porcelain doll the King undoubtedly treasured, she couldn't be trusted with important affairs. To King Geleon, Nastasya was a naive little girl who didn't right from wrong. In his eyes, she wasn't a leader, making the princess envious of Atlanta. 

It was clear to Octavian that this was Atalanta's way of getting revenge on a seemingly innocent event between the two. But when Octavian went to share his concerns with the princess, she dismissed his worries as being over the top. The knight could only sigh as he watched the princess excitedly trying out her clothes for a banquet they weren't invited to. 

Now that she was face-to-face with the man she'd only heard about, Nastasya realized that Atalanta wasn't exaggerating in her description of him; in fact, the adjective beautiful failed to give this man justice. He was otherworldly, almost impossible to define. The princess knew that if there was any man worthy enough of standing next to her, it was him, and yet no matter how much she talked, fluttered her lashes, or showcased her perfect figure, the King did not budge. His eyes wandered around the room as if searching for something, in the grand hall adorned with golden chandeliers and intricate tapestries. 

"Is something wrong, Your Majesty?" Nastasya asked, her voice betraying her nervousness. 

Ceremus had enough of waiting around and was about to get up from his seat when his golden eyes lit up. 

This reaction didn't go unnoticed by the princess, who had kept a keen eye on him. She followed the direction he was looking in and saw that he was staring at another handsome man with white silvery hair and the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. They paled in comparison to her sought-after diamond-pink ones. 

He looked highly regal in his attire, catching the attention of everyone in the room. The energy and aura around him was enough to make a mortal tremble in their seat and want to approach out of awe and curiosity. 

The man locked eyes with the King, and the blank expression on his face softened. Even from a distance, Nastasya could tell that his blue eyes were filled with love and adoration for the King. She felt her heart beat violently in her chest as the man approached. His eyes, previously glued on Ceremus, turned to look at her, more specifically, at her seat. 

His perfectly symmetrical brows furrowed in confusion, and Nastasya realized she had taken his seat and completely forgotten about it.